Histoplasmosis - acute (primary) pulmonary

Definition

Acute pulmonary histoplasmosis is a respiratory infection that is caused by inhaling the spores of the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum.

Causes

Histoplasma capsulatum, the fungus that causes histoplasmosis, is found in the central and eastern United States, eastern Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. It is commonly found in the soil in river valleys. It gets into the soil mostly from bird and bat droppings.

You can get sick when you breathe in spores that the fungus produces. Every year, thousands of people worldwide are infected, but most do not become seriously sick. Most have no symptoms or have only a mild flu-like illness and recover without any treatment.

Have more symptoms, and more serious symptoms, than others who get the disease

Risk factors include traveling to or living in the central or eastern United States near the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys, and being exposed to the droppings of birds and bats. This threat is greatest after an old building is torn down, or when exploring caves.

Symptoms

Most people with acute pulmonary histoplasmosis have no symptoms or only mild symptoms. The most common symptoms are:

Chest pain

Chills

Cough

Fever

Joint pain and stiffness

Muscle aches and stiffness

Rash (usually small sores on the lower legs)

Shortness of breath

Acute pulmonary histoplasmosis can be a serious illness in the very young, elderly, and people with weakened immune systems, including those who: